The present invention relates to a cooling rack for cooling electronic devices and, more particularly, to a cooling rack having both fluid connectors and electrical connectors so that, as the cooling rack is attached to a chassis, the fluid connectors and electrical connectors of the rack will mate generally in unison with corresponding electrical connectors and fluid connectors on the chassis.
Electronic integrated circuits are used in a wide variety of data processing applications. These integrated circuits usually generate small amounts of power on the order of 1-5 watts and generally operate at temperatures less than 80.degree. C. In some applications, power devices such as insulated gate bipolar transistors are used in conjunction with integrated circuit packages. These power devices can consume power on the order of several hundred watts and can generate temperatures well in excess of those generated by integrated circuit packages. Cooling arrangements must be provided to insure that the high temperatures generated by the power devices do not damage the integrated circuit packages.
Prior cooling arrangements did not lend themselves to high-density electronic arrangements because the fluid connections and manifolds for circulating the cooling fluid to the various integrated circuits and/or power devices consumed large amounts of space. Space is often at a premium in many applications such as those on aircraft. Avionics packages must be compact in size in order to maximize passenger space within an aircraft and must be light weight so that more passenger weight can be carried by the aircraft.
The typical avionics electronic instrumentality comprises a chassis or housing having a mother board and a series of printed circuit boards arranged to plug into the mother board in or on the chassis. The printed circuit boards typically carry integrated circuit packages and, in some cases, power electronic devices. A cooling mechanism must be provided for the integrated circuit packages and any power devices which may be used in conjunction with the integrated circuit packages. The cooling mechanism must be compact in order to minimize the required space and must allow for easy installation and removal of the printed circuit boards in or on the chassis.